Narendra Modi (L) with Donald Trump during the former’s visit to the White House, on February 13, 2025. (File photo)
New Delhi: The US president, Donald Trump, claimed in a news conference at the White House on Monday that he pressured India and Pakistan into agreeing to a ceasefire by threatening to cut off trade with both nations. He asserted that his intervention prevented a potential nuclear conflict.
Talking to reporters on the India-Pakistan military conflict starting with India’s launch of Operation Sindoor, Trump said, “I said, come on, we’re going to do a lot of trade with you guys. Let’s stop it. Let’s stop it. If you stop it, we’ll do trade. If you don’t stop it, we’re not going to do any trade.” Trump credited trade leverage for influencing both countries’ decisions to stop hostilities, adding, “For a lot of reasons, but trade is a big one.”
As India Sentinels had reported earlier, it may be noted that even before India had announced that an agreement had been reached with Pakistan on cessation of hostilities, on Saturday, Trump had jumped the gun and announced it on social media while appearing to take credit for it.
India’s Response
India swiftly rejected Trump’s assertion that trade was linked to the agreement to pause hostilities. Government sources clarified that discussions between Indian and US officials focused solely on military tensions and did not reference trade. The Indian foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, emphasized that the ceasefire was negotiated directly between the directors general of military operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan without US mediation.
Leaders from the opposition Congress party criticized Trump’s remarks. They questioned whether the Narendra Modi government had accepted US mediation or agreed to trade-related conditions. The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, condemned Trump for “internationalizing” the Kashmir dispute and drawing a false equivalence between India and Pakistan. He argued that India has never sought foreign mediation in its dealings with Pakistan and reaffirmed that negotiations will not occur under the threat of terrorism.
The ceasefire agreement was reportedly reached through direct communication between the DGMOs of India and Pakistan, without US involvement. Some media reports have cited unnamed government officials refuting suggestions that trade was a factor in the decision to de-escalate. However, India Sentinels cannot independently verify such claims.
